There is a Fine Line Between Coincidence and Fate
by believer76
Summary: Rick and Evy visit Ardeth out in the desert and go through a ceremony that makes brothers. Rick then starts having dreams about how in a past life he and Ardeth were twin Medjai who served the Pharaoh.


By Claudia L. Thornton

Rick and Evie O'Connell arrived at the Medjai camp for one of their annual visits to their good friend Ardeth Bay. The O'Connells had met the Medjai warrior before they had been married when Evie had wanted Rick's help in finding Hamunaptra. They hadn't been friends in the beginning for it was the Medjai sacred duty to keep people away from the city that was more myth and legend then reality. The Medjai preferred it that way for it made it easier to protect if people thought it didn't actually exist.

The second time they had met, Rick and Evie were married and had an eight year old son Alex. That time Ardeth had come to England in order to find the person who was sponsoring digging up Imhotep. The lady that had been working with the curator of the British museum had somehow known the exact location of where the Creature was buried along with the books of the Dead and the Living.

After that second adventure, after they had had to rescue Alex who had been kidnapped because he had put on the bracelet of Anubis which led the way to Ahm Shere the oasis in the middle of the desert where the Scorpion King and the Army of Anubis were buried. The bad guys of course wanted the Army of Anubis so they could take over the world and it was up to Rick, Evie, Jonathan and the Medjai chief Ardeth Bay to stop them.

After that their friendship had blossomed and had become so strong that Rick thought of Ardeth like a brother. Someone he could depend on when he needed him and also someone who could depend on him if necessary.

Ardeth had told him that he was a Medjai a warrior for God. It had happened right after he had seen that tattoo on Rick's inner wrist when he had been visiting the O'Connells at their home in England. Alex had only been four at the time.

At first Rick had been disbelieving but over the years his disbelief had been worn down until he had finally had no choice but to believe. For one thing he realized he had done some amazing things over the years. Not only had he faced Imhotep twice and both times lived to tell the tale but he had survived out in the desert when he had gotten separated from his buddies when had had been a member of the French Foreign Legion. He had actually even managed to make it back to civilization on his own. Could anybody else have survived out in the desert with no water or food? He didn't know, he supposed it was possible. Could anybody else have survived not only the rising of the Scorpion King but the rising of the Creature twice?

Rick stopped the horse he was riding as he saw Ardeth waving to them from just a few feet away.

"Rick, Evie," Ardeth said by way of greeting.

"Ardeth," Evie cried dismounting and hugging him tightly.

"It is good to see you again my friends," said Ardeth as he hugged Evie back and shook Rick's hand.

"And you too, my brother," said Rick almost casually.

Ardeth's eyes widened at the term 'my brother' for Rick had never called him that before only 'my friend'. That he had implied that Rick had finally accepted that he was a Medjai a warrior for God.

Ardeth recovered himself quickly and said, "Come my friends you are just in time to share lunch with me and tell me the news."

The O'Connells nodded and followed Ardeth to his tent.

Once inside with the tent flap closed Rick and Evie saw enough food for three sitting on a table on one side of the tent.

"How'd you know we'd be here today?" asked Rick in astonishment and he looked at the food. "I know we sent you a telegram telling you we were coming but how did you know we'd be here in time to eat with you?"

"That's easy, my friend, I simply had lookouts posted. One of those lookouts was in Cairo and since I knew what hotel you usually stayed in it was a simple matter to have one of my men placed outside the hotel to wait for your arrival and of course when he saw you arrive he sent me a telegram and of course he sent me another one when you got underway. After that it was just a matter of estimating the time it would take you to travel from Cairo to our camp and having Medjai on the lookout for you. I just got word about twenty minutes ago that you would be here in less than half an hour."

Rick shook his head muttering, "I must be losing my touch. I never even saw anyone watching us, much less someone who should be as obvious as a Medjai."

"Rick you know the Medjai are very good at fading into the background when they must," Evie said comfortingly, patting her husband's arm. "Anyway we are here and that is all that matters."

"You're right," Rick agreed with a smile. "Anyway can we eat? I'm starving."

"Of course you are, aren't you always?" asked Evie teasingly getting up and serving the food to both men before getting herself a plate. "Between you, Jonathan and Alex I'm surprised we haven't gone broke from all the food you three put away."

"Hey!" Rick protested then fell silent realizing he was being teased when Evie grinned at him.

They ate in silence for several minutes and after each had at least sated their hunger a little they began to talk. "Well as for news there is not much to tell since the last time we saw you," said Evie. "Both Jonathan and Alex are doing fine. Alex is at school and as soon as it lets out for the summer we have promised to bring him here to see you. He misses you a great deal and he considers you an honorary uncle."

"When we told him we were coming to see you he practically begged to come along and it took a lot of convincing to get him to stay at school," Rick added with a half grimace half smile as he remembered the argument that he and Evie had had with their son.

"I will be glad to see him to," Ardeth said pleased that Alex considered him a member of the family even if they didn't get to see each other as often as they would like.

"As for Jonathan," Evelyn paused then continued. "Jonathan has changed a great deal since Ahm Shere."

"In what way?" asked Ardeth almost concerned. He admitted to himself that Evie's older brother could be a coward but also that he had come through for him and his family during their adventure at the oasis of Ahm Shere. If not for Jonathan and the fact that he was an excellent shot then Ardeth knew that he would likely be dead at Lock-Nah's hands. He also knew that Evie had died at Ahm Shere and if Alex hadn't been able to read the ancient Egyptian from the Book of the Dead and if Jonathan hadn't helped Alex with a couple of words he was unfamiliar with than Evie would have stayed dead and been lost to them forever a thought that made him shudder inside.

"He's stopped drinking," Rick admitted. "Almost completely."

"He still has a glass every now and then but he always manages to stop after one or two," added Evie.

"He's started being more responsible," Rick added. "He's stopped going out every night and drinking and meeting ladies and he's completely stopped gambling."

"You have to remember what happened at Ahm Shere would have affected anybody," said Ardeth. "Some for the better others not. I think that Jonathan has come to realize that he is not as incompetent or as useless as he has always believed himself to be. Not only did he save my life with a single shot he also helped Alex bring Evie back from the dead. Those two events probably gave his self-confidence and his self-esteem an enormous boost and it is possible that he started to think of himself as useful instead of useless."

"And so his lifestyle and attitude changed accordingly," Evie murmured. "Well, let's just hope this change becomes permanent. It's only been about a year since we returned from Ahm Shere and anything can make Jonathan slip back into the role he has been acting since our parents died. It will take a while for these changes to become permanent and if anything happens to ruin this new self-confidence in the meantime…"

"I hope not," said Rick. "Personally I like this new Jonathan. He is becoming someone you can depend on to be responsible and to be there when you need him."

"Anyway to change the subject Rick and I both wanted to talk to you about something, something both of us consider very important."

Ardeth set up straighter at the seriousness in Evie's voice but otherwise his expression remained unchanged except perhaps for the fact he seemed just a little more alert.

"After Ahm Shere, both of us came to realize that both us could die from just about anything," Rick began. "It doesn't necessarily have to be from anything supernatural like Imhotep rising from the grave again. We could die in a car accident or in a plane crash or even just from some disease."

"Both of us have come to the conclusion that if that happens while Alex is still a child we would like you to take him and raise him as your own. Now before you say anything let me tell you that both Rick and I have discussed this for quite some time and decided that you could raise him better then Jonathan could."

"It is true, Jonathan has changed a great deal," Rick said. "I'll be the first to admit that, but we both fear that if he has the pressure of raising Alex while also mourning us that he will be more likely to slide back into his old ways of drinking gambling and whoring."

Ardeth remained silent for quite some time seeming deep in thought.

"I know this seems rather sudden but let me assure you we have discussed it quite a bit," said Evie after a few minutes of silence.

"And despite how little we see each other you are family," Rick added. "Family, after all, isn't always related by blood."

"It's not that it's just that this has come as quite a shock," Ardeth said. "I am honored at your trust in me."

"Ardeth," began Evie, leaning over to gently touching his hand, "As Rick said we consider you family. Families are not always necessarily related by blood," Evie said repeating what Rick had just said a minute ago. "They are related by choice or through shared experiences and danger. You are an honorable and trustworthy man Ardeth Bay and we would be honored if you would consider yourself part of our family. This request we make of you was not an easy thing for us but both of realize that with the lives we tend to lead—after all we have been put into extremely dangerous situations twice now—that even though we survived there is no guarantee that we would survive if something similar happened again."

"I am honored by your trust in me," Ardeth repeated, his voice sounding somewhat hoarse with strong emotions. "And yes if the time comes that both of you die—which Allah forbid—then I promise I will take Alex and raise him as my own son. This I swear to you."

"Thank you, Ardeth, we are in your debt," said Rick his voice thick with emotion.

"You are welcome my friends, but let us pray it never becomes necessary for me to keep my vow."

"We hope not, Ardeth but this takes quite a load off our minds and for that we thank you."

For the rest of the evening they talked of inconsequential things but Ardeth could tell that his friend was distracted and not paying as much attention to the conversation as he normally did. However whatever was bothering Rick never came up and Ardeth was determined to find out what it was that lay so heavily on the mind of his best friend.

Early the next morning Rick was outside at the edge of camp watching the sunrise over the desert when Ardeth came up silently beside him. Rick didn't even glance his way just moved slightly making room for him. How his friend had known it was him Ardeth didn't have a clue and it didn't matter at the moment anyway.

"What if I was to say to you, I am a stranger travelling from the east, in search of that which is lost?" asked Rick suddenly not looking away from where the sun was rising over the desert.

Ardeth's eye widened as he recognized the phrase he had asked his friend years ago back when he had first noticed the tattoo on one of his trips to visit his friends. It took a minute for Ardeth to find his voice and when he replied it came out sounding rather choked, "Then I would say that I am a stranger travelling from the west, and it is I whom you seek. So you believe now?" Ardeth asked looking over at his friend.

Rick didn't reply right away seeming to be trying to gather his thoughts. "I've had a lot of time to think over the last few years," he said finally. "I admit some of the things I'm able to do amaze even me and those two run-ins with Imhotep and the second one with the added danger of the Scorpion King—well let's just say I'm still amazed we lived through it. I figure if I had been anybody else all of us would probably be dead or at least I probably would." Rick sighed a deep very tired sound and turned to face his friend. "I know it's taken me a while to accept and I still don't know what I'm going to do about it, if anything, but I also know that when you said that to me and our conversations through the years including the one on Izzy's blimp afterwards that you were right. Ever since I accepted the fact that I was a Medjai in the time of Seti I, I feel as if I've finally come home. It's almost like a piece of me that I didn't know was missing has finally settled into place." Rick fell silent and turned back towards the rising sun his face thoughtful.

Ardeth's expression remained the same but inside his inner self was jumping up and down in joy. His friend—no his brother had accepted his destiny—finally. It sure had taken him long enough—years to long. But at last it had finally happened and for that Ardeth was happy. "So that's why you called me my brother when you greeted me the other day."

"Yes," said Rick with a grin. "I didn't expect you to be so shocked by it."

"I know you've been struggling with this, but you will find that now that you have accepted that part of yourself that you will be much happier. Knowing how to use a sword and how to defend yourself the Medjai way will also come instinctively, but only if you're not thinking about it. You will find your muscles remember even if your mind does not. And what has finally gotten you to accept you are a Medjai—something I have always known?"

Rick sighed and remained silent for a few minutes seeming to be thinking over the information Ardeth had given him.

"When I was fighting the Scorpion King last year, there were hieroglyphs on the wall of the chamber where we were trying to kill each other. One was of a Medjai holding that scepter that Jonathan kept carrying around except it was opened up into a spear, but it was the same scepter alright. What finally clenched it in my mind was that on the hieroglyphs upraised arm, the one holding the spear was the same tattoo I had gotten at the orphanage in Cairo. I thought coincidence, right? But only until I remembered our conversation about there being a fine line between coincidence and fate."

"I see," said Ardeth looking thoughtful. "I'm happy to know my words had some effect on you even if it was only subconsciously at first."

"I'll say they did. If not for your words I can't help wondering if I would have seen the hieroglyphs on the wall and if I had would I have believed them or brushed them off as coincidence?" Rick said then fell silent for a while. Finally he asked, "So now that I've accepted that part of my past what happens now?"

"Nothing necessarily. Rick what you must understand is just because you have accepted your destiny doesn't mean that you aren't still you. You are who've you've always been the man who has defeated a terrible evil twice and who loves his wife and son. Someone who is willing to put his life in danger again and again to not only protect them but mankind. I do not know many people who can say the same except perhaps for the Medjai. The thing that makes what you did so different is that the Medjai are raised to be like that and you were not. Don't you see how special you are by not only defeating Imhotep once but twice? You didn't run and hide somewhere with your family like most people would have done you did your best to try and stop the evil from overtaking the world. If it was possible I would make sure the world knew of your family's sacrifices."

Rick seemed to relax by degrees as Ardeth's words sunk in. "I admit I've always had this feeling that there was more out there. It only strengthened when I met Evie. I've always felt like there was something just out of sight that was waiting for me. That feeling is gone now that I've accepted being Medjai. And as for letting the world know what happened we both know that isn't possible and even if it was, you and the Medjai do more for the world then I have. Who else is willing to guard something for three thousand years and is willing to spend century upon century making sure that Imhotep is never raised? Or that Hamunaptra is never meddled with or that the books of the Dead or the Living remain undiscovered so that the Creature cannot be brought back to life again? That my friend is you and all the Medjai rather they be past present or future."

"This is true, my friend," Ardeth admitted. "And now you are part of it, you and your family. Also know this you and your family will always be welcome among the Medjai whether it be now or many years in the future. The Medjai and the O'Connells are now inevitably intertwined from this moment and throughout time."

Rick considered this for a minute then nodded. "Thank you, Ardeth, you have cleared up a lot of the things I had on my mind."

"You are welcome, my friend," said Ardeth clapping Rick on the shoulder in a brotherly fashion.

"Would you mind if I ask you something before we head back?"

"No, go ahead," said Ardeth, wondering what could possible make Rick O'Connell one of the most confident and courageous men he knew look hesitant.

"For some time I've been thinking that…" Rick hesitated for a moment then continued. "You know I told you that I grew up in an orphanage in Cairo after my parents were killed. I was really young when that happened and I remember wishing with all my heart that I had a brother or at least someone I could confide in about anything…someone I could trust." Rick paused again seeming to be searching for words finally he continued, "Growing up in the orphanage was not easy for I had to prove myself when some of the other boys proved to be nothing but bullies. It wasn't long before they learned not to mess with me."

Ardeth waited silently wondering where this was going as Rick paused again seeming to be gathering his thoughts. "All my life I've felt like I've been alone with no one to depend on but myself. I know that now I have Evie, Alex and even Jonathan and I do feel like I can depend on them to a certain extent…" Rick paused again then said finally, "What I'm trying to ask you is would you be offended if I asked you to be my brother? Someone I can confide in about anything? Someone I know I can trust with my family's lives?"

Ardeth stared at his friend for a long moment so shocked that he was unable to say anything at first. He was far from being offended he was very honored that his friend thought of him that way. Ardeth also knew it probably wasn't easy for Rick to talk about his past. Although he hadn't grown up in an orphanage he could guess what it had been like just from Rick's words. Those boys had probably picked on him because he was different. After all Rick was American, not Egyptian and he didn't speak Egyptian or Arabic the two main languages of the country or they had picked on him until Rick had proved that was not a wise decision anyway, Ardeth thought with a quirk of the lips trying his best to repress a smile afraid that his friend would take it the wrong way.

"I would be honored my friend, we can even make it official if you like," said Ardeth putting a hand on Rick's shoulder.

"How?" asked Rick his voice sounding relieved that his friend wasn't offended.

"I'll have to talk to the elders of course but there is a very ancient ceremony that goes back even farther than Seti I reign. In fact it is thought to go back to the very first Pharaoh. This ceremony is very simple all we have to do is exchange blood with the whole tribe watching."

"Exchange blood, how?"

"Oh, we just use a knife that has been blessed and cleaned for the specific purpose and then we cut each other's arms and if it is blessed by the gods then the cuts will heal instantly and if not they heal normally."

"Sounds simple enough," Rick admitted.

"It doesn't have to be very much blood just a little," Ardeth added.

"Do you think the elders will agree to it?"

"Most of them probably will, there are one or two however that will be difficult, but all we really need is a majority vote."

"I'm guessing that it's going to be the same elders who objected to us coming to visit you that first time last year. The ones who think that you should not have any friends who are not Medjai."

"Yes and I'm going to apologize in advance for their attitude I'm afraid they are very old-fashioned. Their idea is to let anyone who sees the Medjai die before they can tell anybody we exist."

"That's stupid," Rick muttered "If you just start killing people instead of warning them off Hamunaptra, you'd soon be hip deep in bodies and that in itself could cause problems."

"I know, but they are stuck in the past," said Ardeth with a shake of his head. "And now my friend why don't we go get some breakfast? I'm sure Evie is up by now and is wondering where you are."

"I don't know about that sometimes Evie prefers to sleep in, but she might be up. Why don't I ask her to join us and we can discuss the details about that think we were talking about the other night. Certain arrangements with our lawyer need to be made and we need to decide how much we want to tell him about what really happened. I'm not sure if Mark would believe us if we told him the whole truth."

"How much do you trust this man?" asked Ardeth.

"Oh both Evie and I trust him explicitly when it concerns being honest about handling our affairs but you have to admit the story about a 5000 year old mummy rising from the grave to take over the world is a bit farfetched unless of course you were actually here when it happened and you lived through it."

"Hm, maybe I could be present at that meeting and judge the man for myself," Ardeth suggested.

"That's a possibility," Rick said. "It'll take a while to iron out the details and everything. I'll let you know when the date of the meeting is."

With that settled for the moment both men talked causally about other things until they reached the tent the O'Connells were using while they were there. Rick stuck his head inside to see if his wife was up and when he saw she was he told her Ardeth had invited them both to breakfast in his tent.

After breakfast Ardeth went to call a meeting of the elders. The elders were responsible for certain decisions of the daily running of the camp and of course they could overrule his decisions if a majority voted against although that had never happened to date. He had a feeling however that he would have to use all his persuasive skill in order to convince them that becoming actually related to the O'Connells was a good idea. It was mostly Abbas and Azim for both he knew would probably not agree to the ceremony unless forced and he wasn't too sure about Aziz either as he could vote either way. As for the other three he was sure they would be on his side for one was almost like a grandfather to him and someone he had gone to for advice many times in the past. Faisal had after all known him as a boy. As for the other two they would go along with Faisal. The only problem was that he needed a majority vote and that meant at least four had to vote in his favor.

Before he went into the meeting Faisal stopped and put a hand on his arm and asked Ardeth gently, "What's this about my boy?"

Ardeth briefly explained what he and Rick had been talking about earlier and Rick's request of him. "And to tell you the truth I've always felt closer to Rick then to some of the Medjai, it's almost like we were very close in the past. That's one of the reasons I look forward to the O'Connells visits so much."

"And why you go into Cairo whenever they are staying at the house there," Faisal suggested with a twinkle in his eye.

"Yes," Ardeth admitted sheepishly.

"You know it is possible that you were either brothers or at least very close friends sometime in the past and that is why you feel this connection to him."

"That is a possibility," Ardeth admitted.

"Alright I will support you in this but as for the rest of the votes I don't know how much I can do but I will try to help you get a majority vote."

"Thank you, Faisal. It is very much appreciated."

"It's my pleasure, Ardeth, for I have rarely seen you this happy as you are every time the O'Connells come to visit. And just because you are leader does not mean that you do not deserve to be happy."

"Yes, seeing my friends makes me very happy, Faisal. Now why don't you take your place and let's get this over with?"

Faisal nodded and headed into the tent and after a couple of minutes Ardeth followed.

Ardeth entered the tent and stopped just a couple of feet away from where the six elders sat. "What's this about, Ardeth? I do not appreciate being called like this," growled Abbas.

Ardeth calmly explained his reason for calling this meeting and at least three of the elders gaped at him in disbelief. "You can't be serious! Do a kinship ceremony with an American? Are you absolutely out of your mind," Azim protested venomously.

Ardeth closed his eyes for a moment fighting to control his temper. "Have a care, Azim, Rick O'Connell and his family have done more for the Medjai then most others can claim. All of them risked their lives at Ahm Shere and Rick risked his life to kill the Scorpion King. As for Evelyn, she kept Anck-su-namun busy by fighting her while her husband risked his life to kill the evil that Imhotep raised.

"And I suppose it has escaped your notice that the only reason they were there in the first place was because their son had been kidnapped," said Abbas his voice dripping disdain.

"This is true," Ardeth admitted, calmly. "But did you ever think that fate or destiny might be taking a hand? After all Rick O'Connell is a Medjai and Evelyn is the reincarnation of Princess Nefertiri. As for Alex, his is the way to Ahm Shere. Three sides of the pyramid."

"And how do you know this?" Azim objected. "For all you know, they could be lying to you."

Ardeth growled at this and Azim shut his mouth with a snap realizing he had just gone too far. For to imply the O'Connells were lying was to also insult the chief of the Medjai. In the past such an accusation would be cause for the man to lose his life, and even today that was possible.

"Rick O'Connell is one of the bravest, most courageous and honest men I know," Ardeth practically spat shooting both Abbas and Azim a look that made both men shudder. "Besides I'm the one who recognized him as Medjai when I saw the tattoo on his wrist. I asked him the proper question and he responded with the proper reply."

Five of the elders gasped at this the only one who didn't was Faisal who already knew this for Ardeth had told him several years ago, when he had gone to visit them at their Cairo home and he had noticed the tattoo on his friends inner wrist. In fact as far as he was aware he was the only one Ardeth had confided in.

"You can't be serious," Abbas protested his voice sounding so shocked that he was practically sputtering.

"I am," Ardeth answered calmly. "It took him a long time to accept it, but he finally has. I know this because of the way he greeted me when they arrived. He called me brother. That and the conversation we just had has told me he has finally accepted that he was a Medjai," Ardeth added before the elder could interrupt.

Most of the elders looked shocked again at this all except for Faisal who looked pleased.

"As for Alex the Bracelet of Anubis will not work for anyone except the one prophesied which ought to prove that Alex is the bearer of the bracelet."

The elders grumbled but couldn't disagree.

"And as for Evelyn—" Ardeth began. He refused to call her by the affectionate nickname Evie in front of these men who would likely try to insult her or try to see a relationship between her and Ardeth that simply did not exist. The only relationship was one of friendship for one thing he would never betray his friend Rick in that way and for another he didn't have any feelings for her besides friendship. "—How can you argue that she is the reincarnation of Princess Nefertiri? She nearly fell of the dirigible we were riding to Ahm Shere, because she was seeing memories of her former life. If Rick hadn't been there to grab her she'd be dead and then we probably would have been unable to defeat both Imhotep and the Scorpion King as she was instrumental in both. Besides we all know that Princess Nefertiri was the protector of the bracelet and so it is only right that she was the one to discover it. So let me call for a vote," Ardeth said while he knew he had the advantage.

All the elders voted yes except for Abbas which Ardeth had expected in any case. What he hadn't expected was for Azim to also vote yes.

"The ceremony will take place day after tomorrow at dawn," Ardeth said his expression unchanged but for his eyes which glowed with victory, but only someone who knew Ardeth well would ever be able to tell.

Ardeth and Faisal walked out of the tent together talking softly. Once out of earshot of anyone else Ardeth said, "I need to talk to you privately."

"Of course, Ardeth," said Faisal. "Meet me in my tent in an hour?"

Ardeth nodded and they parted ways.

An hour later Ardeth stepped into Faisal's tent where Faisal was waiting with tea and food. Ardeth looked at the food then grinned for the man he considered his honorary uncle knew him to well. He had not eaten and it was past lunchtime for the council meeting had taken hours and also he was starving.

"I thought you might not have eaten," said Faisal innocently.

"I have not," said Ardeth. "As I took my horse out for a ride. I needed time alone to think and I did not think to take food with me."

"And to calm your nerves I bet," Faisal added. "The elders tend to have that effect on people or at least Abbas and Azim do."

Ardeth chuckled and agreed. He then sat down at Faisal's invitation and they shared the food in silence. "So what did you want to talk to me about?" Faisal asked finally.

"Well for one thing I wanted to tell you the full conversation I had with Rick I only had time to give you a brief outline earlier before the meeting." When Faisal nodded Ardeth preceded to tell him the full contents of the conversation he had had with Rick just hours ago. After he was finished he told him of the conversation he had had with both Evie and Rick on the day they had arrived.

Faisal listened in silence without interrupting and when Ardeth finally fell silent, Faisal didn't say anything for a minute seeming deep in thought. "Let me just say that this just proves to me that the O'Connells are not only your true friends but it also proves that they think of you as family. Not that I doubted they were your friends before mind you, but being friends and thinking of you as family are two totally different things. Also it takes a certain kind of trust in a person to make such a request as they both did about their son. I can understand the reason for it for as your friend said you never know what could happen especially with the life some people tend to lead."

"Including the O'Connells?" Ardeth suggested wryly but with a smile as he thought about his friends. Many of the Medjai did not understand why Ardeth insisted on being friends with the American and his family but then again many people did. What many of his people did not see was that he thought of Rick like a brother and of course it was nice to know Rick felt the same. As for Evie she was almost like a younger sister and Alex like a nephew. As for Jonathan Ardeth was fond of him as well although he wasn't as close to Evie's brother as he was to the rest of them.

"Yes, including the O'Connells," Faisal agreed with a smile. "Of course people like me realize that without them being their both times the Creature was brought back to life then the world would likely be overtaken by evil and you and I would not be sitting here having this conversation."

"I know," said Ardeth. "I never told anyone this but a few months before I met Rick and Evie that first time I started dreaming of a future where Imhotep was not only raised from the grave but took over the world. The dream itself was always the same and always revolved around Rick and Evie. I soon came to the conclusion that if those two were killed then Imhotep would win. I didn't know how they fit into it but I didn't want to take the chance of killing them and then not being able to defeat the Creature."

"I see," said Faisal, thoughtfully. "Well I suppose it's a good thing you listened to your dreams then for when dreams start to repeat over and over again night after night then the gods are probably trying to tell you something important."

"I know," said Ardeth. "Of course I never expected to form a friendship with them, but I'm glad it worked out that way."

"Yes, I've never seen you more relaxed or happy then when you spend time with them," Faisal admitted. "Something I'm glad to see for you really don't relax enough."

Ardeth nodded knowing Faisal was right but being the Chief was a very stressful job and not to mention hard and complicated so of course he didn't have as much time to relax as he would like. However he always did look for to his friends visit every year for with them he was able to relax and not be so stressed.

"You know I've been thinking of taking the O'Connells to Hidden City to introduce them to the rest of our people."

Faisal looked shocked for a moment then nodded, "Yes, that's a excellent idea. It is true that no outsider has been in centuries but technically Rick O'Connell and his family are not outsiders. O'Connell is Medjai and Evie is the reincarnation of an Egyptian princess so it is only right that they see what was most likely O'Connell's home in a past life. After all if he was Medjai then he probably lived there when he wasn't guarding the sacred places. The color of the skin shouldn't matter as much as what's in the heart and the fact that he risked his life to put the Creature back in his grave not once but twice."

"You know some of our people will not feel that way," said Ardeth. "They will only see that they are not Medjai, are not even Egyptian and they will protest."

Faisal though about Ardeth's statement for a moment then nodded. Ardeth was right most of the people would accept the O'Connells but there were a few that would likely try to cause trouble. The Medjai were just like anybody else some were good, others bad and yet others indifferent. "You're right, some will try to cause trouble," said Faisal. "I mean just look at Abbas and Azim they are two perfect examples right there."

Ardeth chuckled and nodded before he changed the subject to something else. He and Faisal then continued to talk for a few minutes before Ardeth took his leave. "I've got to go tell Rick the news, since I haven't had a chance before now," Ardeth admitted.

"Go then," said Faisal. "And I will see you later."

"Thank you for the advice, Faisal you have given me much to think about."

"You're welcome," said Faisal softly as Ardeth left the tent.

Ardeth headed towards the tent the O'Connells were using while they visited. In fact it was the same tent they always used on their twice yearly visits. This was only the second year that they had visited him at his home but he had visited them plenty of times in the last few years at their home in Cairo whenever they were staying there. He had even been to England a few times and to their home there. The O'Connells had always welcomed him like a member of the family and always made him feel right at home. Just last year he'd suggested that they spend a couple of weeks with him and they had all agreed. At first when they had arrived most of the Medjai had been unsure of what to make of the O'Connells and Jonathan Carnahan but the O'Connells and Evie's brother had soon won most of them over. There were still some of course who objected because they hated all outsiders but they were in the minority and Ardeth had already warned the ones that were likely to cause trouble. He had warned if there was any trouble he would find out who was behind it and deal with them—harshly. Ardeth didn't make threats lightly so most of the troublemakers had decided it was best to stay in the background whenever possible.

He knocked lightly on the tent pole of the O'Connells tent then stepped inside.

"Ah Ardeth how did the council meeting go?" asked Evie getting up a giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"I see Rick told you of our conversation," said Ardeth with a smile.

"Some if it at any rate," said Evie giving her husband a look.

Rick didn't say anything but pretended to ignore the comment.

"Rick did tell me that you two had decided to do a kinship ceremony."

"It's really only a formality," said Ardeth. "I already think of Rick like a brother this will just make it official."

"And it might quiet some of the grumbling?" Evie suggested.

"Exactly," said Ardeth not surprised that Evie understood for Evelyn O'Connell was an extremely intelligent woman. She not only spoke ancient Egyptian, but also Arabic and several other languages as well and she also had the talent of knowing how to connect with people and make friends. That talent didn't always work of course especially if that person was bent on being a troublemaker but a lot of times it did work and avoided a lot of trouble.

"The ceremony is to take place at dawn tomorrow," said Ardeth. "That is when most such ceremony's take place actually before the heat gets too bad either then or just after sundown when it has cooled off considerably."

Both Evie and Rick nodded in understanding. What Ardeth said was true the desert was an extremely hot place especially during the late afternoon but of course the reverse was also true for the desert could get extremely cold at night. So anybody who lived in the desert either knew to drink plenty of water especially doing the greatest heat of the day and eat properly or they didn't survive long for the desert could be a harsh place to live if you weren't careful.

The Medjai of course had had to learn to adapt or their people would not have survived for 5000 years in such a harsh environment.

"Ardeth," Evie told him quietly her face serious. "I know I said this earlier but Rick is not the only one who considers you family. You are one of the gentlest most courageous men I know and I had had another brother I would want him to be exactly like you."

Ardeth looked stunned all over again as he had the first time Evie had said the words which was just yesterday when they had first arrived in camp. It caught him off guard just like it had when she'd first said these words, not because it was unpleasant to hear but because it was exactly the opposite. He hadn't had anyone to really care about him since his parents died except Faisal and a few of the other Medjai that Ardeth was close to. It was a nice feeling to be so loved and one he had a feeling he had better get used to with the O'Connells in his life.

Ardeth smiled, "Thank you, Evie, and I have always thought of you like a younger sister. Ever since we met I have felt closer to you two then I do to most of my own people," Ardeth hesitated then added, "Ever since we met that first time I have felt like I knew you in another life and that feeling has only grown over the last few years."

"I suppose it's possible," Rick admitted after a moment. "If I'm a reincarnated Medjai and Evie is a reincarnated princess it's possible that you are also a reincarnation of someone. And I also admit that if you had told me this a few years ago I never would have believed you, but after everything that has happened to us over the years…well let's just say it has put a large dent in my unbelief. I mean if bringing a 5000 year old mummy back to life not once but twice is possible what else is?"

"This is true, my friend," said Ardeth soberly but with an inner smile overjoyed that his friend finally believed. Now he and Rick were truly brothers if not of blood then of soul and heart.

Faisal knocked on the O'Connell's tent pole and waited a moment. When the tent flap finally opened, Faisal found himself staring into the face of Rick O'Connell.

"Yes, Faisal? Can I help you with something?" asked Rick. The O'Connells and Faisal had met for the first time when Rick and his family had visited Ardeth last year. Both had liked each other immediately. Faisal because he could see that the O'Connells thought the world of his honorary nephew and that alone was enough for a friendship to be forged, but Faisal could also tell that the O'Connells were honest, brave and would willingly face danger and if necessary die for their family or even total strangers. And on that very short list of people that the O'Connells cared deeply about Ardeth was one of them. Somehow Faisal knew this without even having to ask and it made him like the O'Connells all the more.

"I needed to see you before the ceremony tomorrow, there are a few things we need to discuss."

Rick nodded and held the tent flap aside so that Faisal could enter.

"So what is it you need to know?"asked Rick with a raised eyebrow offering Faisal a seat.

"Did Ardeth tell you that I would be the—I believe the word is spokesman—for this ceremony tomorrow?"

"No, all he said was that we would exchange blood with a knife that had been blessed. So that isn't all that is involved?"

"That's the main part of it," Faisal admitted. "But before that happen the spokesman has to tell a little bit about each man and afterwards each man has got to speak a little about the other—something along the lines of why you think of this man as your brother."

Rick stared at Faisal in something akin to horror.

"Ardeth didn't mention this part of it, I take it?"

"You've got that right," Rick growled. "And when I get my hands on him, he's going to regret it." Rick could practically hear Ardeth's laughter in his head and him saying, What I didn't mention that part? I could have sworn I had, or something along similar lines.

Faisal smiled as he realized that this was some kind of joke Ardeth had played on his friend for Ardeth never forget anything of importance and the fact that he had just happened to forget to mention this part of the ceremony just wasn't very likely.

"I'm afraid Ardeth has a very—subtle—sense of humor. When he was a boy he was known for playing a few practical jokes on people he disliked and sometimes even on people he did like but he thought needed to be taught a lesson. I am afraid that has developed into little pranks like this. He doesn't often get a chance to indulge his sense of humor I'm afraid with him being leader of the Medjai."

"I suppose not," Rick conceded. "If you had asked me a few years ago if Ardeth had a sense of humor I would have denied it, but in the last few years I have learned quite differently."

"Oh he has one, after all you didn't grow up with him, but the rest of us did. Now about the ceremony—"

Rick sighed and begun to dredge up some very unpleasant memories from his childhood.

When Faisal had left an hour later, Rick felt incredibly drained as if he had been fighting a 5000 year old mummy and running a marathon at the same time, but also somehow he felt as if wounds long unhealed had begun to scab over at last and that along was worth something.

The next morning the sun was just rising over the desert when Rick and Ardeth came to stand side by side in the middle of a large circle of Medjai as well as Rick's wife who was the only foreigner there.

Faisal came to stand in front of them pacing solemnly his long gray beard waving gently in the slight breeze and his black eyes intense as he stared at the two men before him. He stopped when he was no more than a few feet away. Faisal being the oldest and one of the most respected members of the tribe had been chosen to do the speaking.

"This ceremony is to make these two men not just friends, but brothers. Being brothers is not necessarily related to sharing the same blood it can also be a matter of choice as our ancestors realized many centuries ago. Being Medjai can be a hard life and we do not have as much time to form close relationships as other people do, but these two men wish to go through the ceremony that will join their families for all time.

"Now let me tell you a little bit about each of these men. You all know Ardeth since he was a boy growing up. You saw how he excelled at weapons training and how he learned all there was to know so he could follow in his father's footsteps one day. He has led us well over the years even though he took on the responsibility when he was no more than twenty. He is a wise and just leader perhaps the wisest leader and chief we have ever had. It is true that Imhotep has escaped twice during his time as leader but both times he risked his life to not only protect his people but the world from Imhotep's reign of terror and both times he was nearly killed in the process. However he succeeded with the help of Rick O'Connell and his family. Over the years the O'Connells have become good friends with Ardeth and this has been proved again and again as Rick has put himself and his family in danger in order to help him.

"As for Rick O'Connell, with his permission I am going to reveal some things to you that are not well known to anybody but himself his family and Ardeth. Rick O'Connell's parents died when he was only 10 and he grew up in an orphanage in Cairo. There he had to prove himself tougher than the other boys in order to survive. When he finally got out he joined the French Foreign Legion and while with his unit they discovered Hamunaptra. He was the only one to survive the trek across the desert on foot without food and very little water when the Medjai scared them off, killing a few of his unit in the process."

Most of the Medjai looked surprised then respectful at this but a few grunted in disbelief or disdain.

"A couple of years Rick met Evy and her brother Jonathan Carnahan and they convinced him to take them to Hamunaptra even though he warned them that it would be dangerous since the Medjai were guarding it and he also warned that he had barely escaped with his life. When they insisted he agreed to come along more out of curiosity than anything else. While there they met up with another group who found the remains of the Creatures internal organs in decorated jars and also while there they released the creature from his 5000 year old sleep before the Medjai could prevent it.

It is true that they released Imhotep but once they realized what they had done both Rick and Evelyn risked their lives to ensure that the Creature was put back into his grave. It was a near thing but all four came through it alive if only barely. After that a friendship started between Ardeth and Rick O'Connell which only deepened out of mutual respect over the years. Finally when Ardeth arrived in England a year ago to warn his friends that they were in danger he was too late to prevent the kidnapping of Evie O'Connell by his old enemy Lock-nah. And although they were in time to prevent Evelyn from being killed they were not in time to prevent the resurrection of the creature. Once again Rick helped Ardeth put the creature back in his grave but first they had to travel to Ahm Shere to not only rescue Rick's and Evie's son who had been kidnapped because he was the only one who the Bracelet of Anubis would work for but to prevent Imhotep and the people who raised him from raising the Army of Anubis from taking over the world. They succeeded and again barely managed to escape with their lives. After the events last year the friendship between these two men has deepened until both men would gladly die for the other if it meant that the other one would live.

As most of you know it is believed that in a past life Rick O'Connell was a Medjai well I say that this has been proved on more than one occasion for who else would risk their life to prevent perhaps the greatest evil of all time from overtaking the world and for no other gain then seeing that the world continue as it has been?

"I say to you that it is more than lineage that makes someone a Medjai. It is the forthrightness to continue to fight even when the odds are against you. It is the courage to keep on fighting even if you are the only one standing between innocent people and harm. And it is not necessarily the absence of fear but being able to continue to fight despite being afraid not only for your own life but for your loved ones and I say that is what makes someone a Medjai despite the color of a person's skin. The skin color doesn't matter so much for it is what is on the inside that matters. And that is all I have to say on the subject."

Faisal fell silent for a moment then said, "Now it is time for these two men to say a few words. Ardeth if you would please."

Ardeth nodded and took a few steps forward and began to speak to speak to the assembled Medjai. "I believe Faisal has covered all the basics but let me just tell you something that is not common knowledge. It is true that me and Rick became acquainted under bad circumstances but from the minute we met I felt as if we had known each other before although for the life of me I couldn't figure out where for I would have remembered if we had met before that day almost ten years ago. After all it is almost impossible to forget someone who throws a lighted piece of dynamite in your direction." This last was said so wryly that most of the Medjai chuckled although a few of them looked outraged.

Rick looked sheepish for a moment then chuckled as well as he remembered the incident in question.

"After Imhotep was released it was Evy who figured out where the Book of the Living was so we could put Imhotep back into his grave but a while after we discovered this we had trouble getting out of the Cairo Museum for the Creature had a lot of the townspeople under his spell and they came after us. None of us wanted to hurt them for they were just innocent bystanders who had gotten caught in the middle of our war…" Ardeth went on with his explanation and after a few minutes he finished and then it was Rick's turn.

"Back before I met Ardeth Bay or even Evie I was always somebody who thought he could depend on no one but himself," Rick started off softly. "It was after I met Ardeth—despite the circumstances—that I began to feel like I didn't want to be all by myself anymore. There was something I recognized in that brief battle the first time we met—I felt like I didn't want to really fight him—but also that I had no choice if I wanted to live to see the sunrise."

Some of the Medjai chuckled at this, as Rick had wanted them to.

"Well after that brief battle we met again at the museum in Cairo where Ardeth had come to see his uncle Terrence Bay and to try to put Imhotep back into his grave. I decided I wanted to help and between the two of us and Evie we managed to put the Creature back where he belonged. Unfortunately there were quite a few causalities—people who didn't even know why they died and who I will always feel guilty about even if I know there was nothing that could be done to prevent their deaths.

"After we defeated the Creature, we became friends and that friendship has only deepened over the years. I have nothing but the greatest respect and affection for my friend Ardeth Bay because he and the Medjai are the only ones I know who would guard the sacred sites of Egypt for three thousand years because they felt it was their of duty and their sense of honor will allow them to do no less."

Rick fell silent and after a moment the others realized he was done.

"Now let the ceremony commence," said Faisal. By this point some of the Medjai who had been against the ceremony before were now on Rick's side while the others were still firmly opposed to it.

Faisal stepped forward and handed over a ceremonial knife that had be cleansed and blessed to Ardeth. Ardeth took it carefully being sure to handle it by the hilt for the blade had a very sharp honed edge. Rick extended his wrist the one without the tattoo and Ardeth very carefully sliced a shallow cut being sure to miss the vein. Blood immediately started flowing down Rick's wrist and to drip on the ground. Ardeth handed the knife to Rick and Rick took it just as carefully. Ardeth extended his wrist and Rick very carefully sliced a long shallow cut into his friend's wrist. When that part was completed Faisal who had been waiting off to the side came forward and took the knife then stepped back again. Rick and Ardeth looked at each other and then both almost at the exact same time extended their wrists until they were touching and the blood was flowing together. Suddenly there was a bright flash of light and both men nearly took a step back in surprise but managed to remain in contact. As for the other Medjai they were staring at their leader and Rick in awe for they were sure they knew what that flash of light meant. Nobody but the Gods could have made that flash of light and that meant that the They blessed this ceremony and that it was meant to be.

Finally Rick and Ardeth pulled their wrists apart and when they turned them up right there was only two identical scars where blood had been flowing just minutes before.

The Medjai as practically as one gasped in awe for there was no way that those two knife cuts could have healed naturally and so completely in just a few seconds, for by all rights both of them should still be dripping blood onto the ground.

"Well that was unexpected," Ardeth murmured looking dazed at this turn of events.

"You're telling me," Rick snorted in order to cover his disbelief. He looked at his wrist where there was not nothing but a scar on either of their wrists. He supposed if he could believe in a 5000 year old mummy coming back from the grave why not two cuts healing instantly at the exact same instant?

"So what now?" Rick asked.

"Now we celebrate," said Ardeth giving his friend—now his brother—a friendly slap on the shoulder.

"I can go for that," said Evie before Rick could respond. Evie walked closer and gave Ardeth a hug and said, "Welcome to the family. Alex will be disappointed that he had to miss the ceremony but glad that you're really his uncle now."

"Not that you weren't already an uncle to him," Rick said with a grin. Rick felt happier than he had in a long time. He almost felt lighter somehow as if a thousand ton weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He knew however, it was probably his imagination, not that it mattered.

"Come one Rick, Evie we can't be late for our own celebration. After all we are the guests of honor."

"Right," said Rick. "And tomorrow could you come by our tent? There is something I would like to discuss with you."

Ardeth nodded as he and the O'Connells walked to where the celebration was being held, together.

That night or early the next morning depending on how you looked at it Rick fell into an exhausted slumber for the party had continued until the wee hours. It wasn't long after he had fallen asleep that Rick started to dream.

Rick looked around and somehow he knew instinctively that he was dreaming of his past life in the time of Seti I. In this incarnation he was known as Farook which meant able to distinguish right from wrong. How he knew that Rick/Farook was not absolutely sure. He just did. Rick looked at himself and saw that he was wearing the same kind of robe Ardeth normally wore in fact the same kind of thing that the Medjai had been wearing for three thousand years. He somehow knew, even though he could not see his face that he had the same kind of markings that Ardeth wore.

"Hey brother, what's wrong with you are you just going to stand there all day?" called a voice that was almost as familiar to Rick/Farook as his own.

"Farook are you okay?"

Rick/Farook looked up at his brother's face and was shocked at the resemblance that face had to his friend Ardeth Bay's. Finally Rick/Farook managed to say in what he hoped sounded normal. "I am fine, Nassir," Farook assured his brother with a smile. "I was just dizzy for a moment is all."

"Ah, yes I suppose this heat can get to you after a while."

"Yes, that's probably all it was, either that or what I had for lunch."

Rick noticed with kind of a detached air from where he was in the background of Farook's thoughts that the two men were speaking in ancient Egyptian and that he could understand every word

Nassir laughed and clapped his brother on the shoulder. "Come along, brother, my wife has been wanting to see you since you haven't been by in a while. She told me to invite you to dinner."

"Of course, Nassir I would love to come to dinner and see Zia and my niece and nephew."

"Then come eat with us," Nassir said persuasively.

"All right, ahi," said Farook. "I'll be there."

Rick somehow new that ahi meant brother. Maybe his lessons in Arabic were finally taking hold or maybe it was just because it was a dream and anything was possible in dreams.

"We'll see you about seven then," said Nassir with a triumphant grin.

Suddenly they heard a shout and Nefertiri shouting at them in ancient Egyptian. The words literally translated meant "Medjai, my father is being betrayed by Imhotep. Hurry Imhotep is going to assassinate, father."

Both Nassir and Farook raced towards the stairs where Princess Nefertiri leaned over the balcony. Rick couldn't help but notice in a sort of detached sort of way that Nefertiri looked a great deal like his wife Evie. Well Evie was supposed to be the reincarnation of the Princess so Rick supposed it was only natural that they looked alike.

Suddenly the brothers arrived in the hallway just in time to see Imhotep stab a ritual dagger in Seti's stomach. Both rushed forward and grabbed Imhotep preventing him from escaping. Suddenly the scene rushed forward and Farook was in what Rick immediately recognized as Hamunaptra along with a dozen other Medjai and they were getting ready to perform the Hom-dai on the high priest.

Rick wanted to protest knowing how much trouble this would cause 5000 years down the road but knew that he couldn't change history for it had already happened and he was just a bystander in the mind of his incarnation.

Rick woke suddenly after Imhotep vowed revenge and seemed to look right through Farook to where Rick was in the back of the Medjai's mind. It was almost as if he knew Rick was there although how that could be Rick didn't know. Rick shook himself awake slowly wondering if what he had seen was just a dream or if it was actually memories from 5000 years ago that had for some reason decided to surface right after the ceremony that had bound him and Ardeth as kin.

Maybe it had to do with that flash of light? He supposed it was possible. Rick shook his head again and slowly got out of bed knowing there was no way he was going to get back to sleep now. He quietly got dressed doing his best to not wake his wife then very quietly opened the tent flap just enough for him to slip outside. Rick quietly walked to the edge of the camp and then went past the Medjai guards and a little way into the desert. He needed time alone to think. The guards watched him go wondering where O'Connell was disappearing to so early.

It was several hours later that Rick was made aware of a presence had come up beside him silently. Rick didn't even looked up for he knew instinctively that it was Ardeth for he had somehow felt him approaching. He could feel the other man's emotions very strongly and from what he could tell Ardeth was not half as disbelieving as he was.

"Why are you so troubled, my brother?" asked Ardeth finally speaking after a long silence.

Rick looked up his entire face shuttered his brown eyes troubled. He then turned not saying anything and looked back out over the desert.

"I know the dream you had troubles you, Rick," Ardeth said. "But somehow I think you have always known that we were brothers in another life. You might not have acknowledged it consciously but it was always there. It just like me, somehow I have always known at least subconsciously. I mean you must have noticed the bond we shared even before the blood brother ceremony."

Rick didn't say anything and continued to stare out over the desert.

"Is being related to me really so terrible?" asked Ardeth his tone joking, but underneath Rick could hear the hurt in Ardeth's voice as if he couldn't understand why Rick didn't want to acknowledge the fact that they were brothers.

Finally unable to resist the hurt in his friend's voice Rick turned to face his friend—now his brother. "No," Rick finally said, turning to face Ardeth. "You are the best friend I have ever had, but you have to admit finding out we were brothers in another life comes as quite a shock."

"Yes," said Ardeth. "I probably was not as shocked as you were after all I am not only Egyptian but Medjai. We are raised to believe that such things as reincarnation exist and also that there is a fine line between coincidence and fate."

Rick looked up at the phrase, 'there is a fine line between coincidence and fate' for it was the same thing Ardeth had said to him last year when they were on their way to rescue Alex and Ardeth was trying to get him to accept his destiny.

However Ardeth was continuing seeming unaware of Rick's thoughts. "You on the other hand were not raised as I was and I know that probably makes it harder for you to accept. Also know this I have felt for some time that we were related in some way in a past life for I have never felt as close to anyone else as I have to you. I knew the moment we met that I had known you before in a way I have always known that a part of me was missing. When we met on that day ten years ago I felt that part of me fall into place as if it had always been there are you going to tell me you didn't feel the same?"

"No, I'm not going to tell you that," said Rick his expression unreadable as he stared into Ardeth's dark eyes. "If I did I would be lying and you would know I was lying. And you would be hurt if I did such a thing and I would never hurt you like that because if nothing else you are my friend. The best friend I have ever had and if not for you my son would be dead and likely Evie as well. Just for that I owe you more then I can ever repay, but it's not just that it's the fact that I have always felt as if you were my brother, if not by blood then of my soul."  
"Then why are you so troubled?" asked Ardeth trying to understand.

Rick didn't respond for a moment then said, "It was the shock of finding out we were actually related I think. I mean having what you've been feeling suddenly become reality was a little much for me to take in. I just needed time to sort out the emotions and time to accept the idea that these things I have always felt were not just my imagination but real."

"Ah, I see," said Ardeth and he did see where Rick was coming from. After all Rick hadn't been raised a Medjai and he had. Rick hadn't been raised to accept that reincarnation, and bringing people back from the dead existed. Rick's two experiences with the supernatural had both times resulted in him fighting for his life and the lives of his loved ones. Medjai were raised to believe that death although sad was a part of life and that it helped keep the balance.

"So I assume you acknowledge it now?" asked Ardeth.

Rick nodded, "Yes, I acknowledge it. You are the brother of my soul, someone I have always vaguely missed but didn't know I was missing until we met all those years ago." As soon as the words were out of his mouth Rick realized they were true and his heart felt considerably lighter at that moment. For the first time in his life he felt whole.

Ardeth's expression went from unreadable to smiling all in an instant and Rick could sense a relaxation in his friend. Rick was shocked to say the least for he had never seen Ardeth smile like that in all the years he'd known him and he had never known him to relax either at least not like this.

"Then come on my brother, there is to be another council meeting but this time you need to be there."

"Why?" asked Rick glancing at Ardeth suspiciously still not having completely forgiven him for that little joke of his.

"Because the elders heard about your dream and they are not unaware of the implications. That both of us shared the dream simultaneously is not unheard but what is unheard of is the fact that it happened between a Medjai and an outsider. Or at least this is what at least half the elders and some of the other Medjai consider you and your family."

Ardeth's voice dripped such disdain at the mention of the elders and the other Medjai who thought that way that Rick laughed and said, "Well you can't please everybody, I guess."

"That is true, my brother, but now we really must go for I fear the elders will be getting rather impatient."

Rick laughed, and gave Ardeth a friendly slap on the back. "We'd better get going then. After all we wouldn't want to displease the elders now would we?" This was said so sarcastically that Ardeth laughed out loud a genuinely amused sound.

"Come, my brother, let us get this meeting over with."

"The sooner the better," Rick agreed secretly dreading facing the elders but also knowing he had no choice.

Ardeth shot him a sympathetic look having felt the emotions coming off Rick in waves so thick and strong they nearly knocked him off his feet with the force of them. "Believe me, brother, I sympathize," was all Ardeth had time say as they had reached the tent where the council held its meetings.

They both entered the tent together presenting a united front in the face of what was to come.

The council meeting lasted for hours and Rick just hoped Evie wasn't too worried about him for he hadn't seen her since 2 or 3 o'clock that morning when they had both left the party to get some sleep.

"You can't be serious about him being and you being the reincarnation of twin Medjai 5000 years ago." Abbas protested vehemently.

"And why not? What is the difference between him being my blood brother and us being twins reborn? So what if we were twins protecting the pharaoh 5000 years ago? What is the difference between then and now? Is it because Rick is American? So what if he was not born among us. The gods have their way of balancing fate and did you ever stop to think that the reason he was born an American was because the gods foresaw the need of someone to stop Imhotep from taking over the world 5000 years down the road? Someone who would be willing to risk his life but who had not been born a Medjai but was one of us nonetheless?"

A lot of the Medjai who had agreed with Abbas muttered at this and seemed to waver at Ardeth's persuasive speech

"In fact I am planning on taking all the O'Connells to Hidden City to be introduced to the rest of our people."

_Hidden City?_ Rick wondered silently. _What the hell is Hidden City?_

_I'll tell you later,_ came a thought that Rick knew was not his own. Rick glanced at Ardeth but his friends expression was unchanged. _Yes it is I,_ the voice assured him. _I think the fact that we were twins in another life and maybe the blood brother ceremony reforged the connection that was always there. _

_Connection?_

_Haven't you ever heard that twins have a special connection to each other? How twins were always closer to each other than if you were just ordinary siblings?_

_Yes I have heard that,_ Rick admitted reluctantly.

_Well there you go,_ said the voice of Ardeth in Rick's head. _The connection was always there we just didn't realize it or perhaps it wasn't activated until we exchanged blood._

_I guess that makes sense,_ said Rick. _But now you had better pay attention to what the elders are telling you. At the moment their looking at you like you've grown two heads._

Ardeth laughed inside Rick's head then turned his head back towards the elders.

It was at least another hour later when the elders finally gave in, not that they really had any choice in the matter for Ardeth was technically the king of the Medjai and the council was only around to make certain decisions. They could be disbanded if they annoyed Ardeth enough, but so far they had never gone that far past forgiveness for it to happen.

"Well that was certainly…interesting," Rick observed as he and Ardeth were finally released to make their way out of the council tent. "Now are you going to tell what this Hidden City is and why we need to go there?"

"Perhaps you should go and let Evie know what is going on and that you are all right and then why don't you meet me in my tent for dinner. I will explain everything then."

"All right," Rick agreed more easily then Ardeth expected him to. Perhaps his brother was finally learning patience. But then Ardeth shook his head and thought no probably not. He was just probably too tired after spending all day in the council meeting to argue. And the truth of the matter was so was he. Dealing with the council was always tiring for most of them were determined to keep the Medjai in the past and if they succeeded then the Medjai would die—it was as simple as that. He had realized long ago the Medjai had to change with the times or suffer extinction.

The two men parted ways for the moment promising to meet in an hour for dinner.

Evie wasn't as upset as Rick expected her to be when he finally entered the tent they shared. He should have known the rumors would be making their rounds and so Evie had known where he was if not precisely why he was there. When Rick mentioned that Ardeth had invited them to dinner and why Evie practically radiated surprise and pleasure at the honor.

"Hidden City," Evie whispered awed. "The secret city of the Medjai."

"You mean there is actually a city of Medjai?"

"According to legend. There are very few references to it or the Medjai in any of the books I've read."

"Well of course not Evie that would kind of defeat the purpose of secrecy now wouldn't it?" Rick said with a completely straight face.

"Oh you," said Evie hitting him on the arm.

"What was that for?" Rick protested.

Evie didn't respond and Rick somewhat at a loss was forced to apologize. "I apologize," said Rick kissing her passionately. "I love you, Evelyn Carnahan O'Connell."

"I love you too and you're forgiven," Evie assured giving him another kiss. "Now shouldn't we be going?"

"Yes, I suppose so," said Rick feeling disappointed that they didn't have time to continue where those kisses were leading. "We don't want to be late."

"Exactly," said Evie, rising to her feet and heading out of the tent flap.

"Hidden City," Evie breathed her face shining with anticipation. "I wasn't even sure the place existed."

"It exists, but very few people have ever heard of it even as a legend. No outsiders have been there in at least five hundred years. It is a very great honor."

"Will your people accept us?" asked Rick with a frown. "I mean I know I was Medjai in a past life but all they might see is that we have pale skin and light hair."

"Most of them will accept you," Ardeth assured. "And the ones that don't know better than to make trouble. I owe you my life, Rick and Jonathan too, the Medjai will honor you just for that. Besides you are the brother of my soul and most of them will accept you unequivocally when they learn that."

"I don't know," said Rick. "So far we've found nothing but trouble in places that supposedly don't exist. Just think of Hamunaptra and Ahm Shere."

"This will be different my brother, I promise you. Hidden City is peaceful and very well hidden from the outside world. Please it would be a great honor to be able to show you my home."

Evie looked at Rick and he gave in with a sigh. "All right, but it's going to have to wait until the next time we visit, so we can bring Alex with us. He would never forgive us if he didn't get to come along."

Evie looked disappointed but knew her husband was right.

"That will be soon enough," Ardeth conceded. "Alex will be finished for the summer in just 3 months?"

"A little more than that," said Evie. "So that means we will be seeing you in 13 weeks, possibly 14."

"I will meet you in Cairo at your hotel on the date you telegraph me," Ardeth said. "We will go on from there."

"How far is this Hidden City from Cairo?" Rick wanted to know.

"A little less than a week," said Ardeth.

Rick nodded seeming to know almost instinctively that the Medjai City was hidden inside a mostly hollowed out mountain and could only be seen from the air.

"All right but that's for later," said Rick.

"I would also be very honored if you all would accept tattoos that will always allow you to find the City of the Medjai as well as other sacred places. The tattoos will also mark you as Medjai. Even if you don't accept you will always be considered Medjai by my people and we will always be grateful for all you have done to protect not only the Medjai but the world."

"We would be honored," said Rick after he and Evy had shared a glance.

"And we thank you," Evy added. "I am looking forward to seeing the City of the Medjai."

"And I am looking forward to showing it to you," said Ardeth with a genuine smile that reached his eyes.

Late the next afternoon, Ardeth appeared at the O'Connell's tent as Rick had requested when they had been talking the day of the party. He had wondered on and off during most of the last two days what his friend wanted to talk about, but despite repeated inquiries Rick had refused to say. From that Ardeth had been able to guess his brother wanted privacy for whatever it was he wanted.

"Come on in, Ardeth," Rick greeted him with a grin that looked rather tired. Well they had been up rather late the last couple of nights not to mention Rick had been up early so Ardeth supposed his friend had a right to be exhausted.

"Have you had lunch?" Evie asked.

"Yes," Ardeth answered. "But that was hours ago."

"Well you are welcome to share our food with us, we have plenty," said Evie.

"Thank you Evie," said Ardeth, accepting. "What is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Well I've been thinking that since you adopted me as your brother why couldn't I do the same thing? You would become legally part of the my family just like I became part of yours. And I know that technically we were brothers in a past life but English law doesn't recognize such things as reincarnation and I doubt they would recognize such things as blood brother ceremonies."

"I would be honored, my friend—my brother," said Ardeth gravely, but with a small smile.

"Then it's settled," said Rick with a grin that this time didn't seem quite as tired. "I'll look into the legal side of it as soon as I get back to London. It should be possible to do."

"And you sir are welcome to come for a nice long visit," said Evie shaking her finger at Ardeth playfully.

"I might just do that," said Ardeth. "If I can manage to get away that is."

"I'm sure you'll think of something. Besides just because you are chief—well technically king of the twelve tribes doesn't mean you don't deserve a vacation every now and then," said Rick. "I'm sure Kareem your second-in-command can take over for you for a couple of weeks. Besides you need to come to London anyway so we can talk to Mark about getting those legal papers put together about you getting Alex if anything were to happen to us. We might as well do the adoption thing at the same time. Get it all over with at once."

"You realized this means we'll have to tell Mark at least some about our to run-in with a 5000 year old mummy of an Egyptian high priest?" asked Evie.

"I know Evie," said Rick. "Don't worry I've known Mark a long time and I think he can handle the information. Oh don't get me wrong, he'll be surprised at first but after the initial shock is over he'll probably take it all in stride. Mark is a lot tougher then he looks."

Evie nodded still looking uncertain but willing to trust her husband's judgment in the matter. After all as he had just said he and Mark Simmons had been friends for a very long time and Rick should know how much his friend could handle and whether or not he was trustworthy.

All to soon it came time for the O'Connells to head back to England and Ardeth was not very happy when that day finally came because it seemed as if they had just gotten there even though he knew they'd been there for almost three weeks.

"We'll see you soon, my brother," said Rick looking just as unhappy to be leaving as Ardeth was to have them leave.

"Ma'assalama, my brother," said Ardeth. He then said a phrase in Arabic. "Sirma ma-asalam ya ahi."

Rick knew that this phrase literally translated to 'peace be upon you, my brother'.

"And to you, my brother," Rick said in English. It was true Rick had started to learn Arabic since last year during their first visit to this place because he had found out that a lot of the Medjai both the males and females only spoke that language and it was frustrating not to be able to understand what was being said. However, it was slow going and he didn't have as much time to put into as he liked.

"I will contact you as soon as I can set up that appointment with Mark," said Rick giving his brother a slap on the shoulder.

"I will be waiting," Ardeth assured with a smile giving Evie a hug and shaking Rick's hand. After a they finished their goodbyes both turned away and mounted their horses. They both waved as they moved away from the camp and finally they both just relaxed thinking of Ardeth's visit that was soon to come.

Two after the O'Connells had returned from their vacation in Egypt Rick got an appointment with his and Evie's lawyer whose name was Mark Simmons. Mark was an older gentlemen at least in his late forties if not his early fifties, but he had a easy and relaxed personality which was one of the reasons Rick liked him so much.

Mark rang the doorbell of the O'Connell home wondering again why Rick and Evie had wanted to meet here instead of at the office. Both of them had been quite insistent that they not talk about it over the phone and on top of insistent mysterious—very mysterious. When Rick had called to set up this appointment almost three months ago he had said that he wanted to change his will. He had refused to say how he wanted it changed but Rick had offered him a rather hefty bonus if he would ask no questions.

The door was opened by Rick himself and Mark wondered what had happened to the butler.

"It's Martin's night off," Rick said by way of explanation to Mark's unspoken question. What Rick didn't tell Mark was that all the servants had been given the night off for they wanted no one to overhear the story they were going to tell Mark.

Mark nodded and came inside Rick closing the door softly behind him. "Evie's in the living room," said Rick leading the way. When they got there Rick stopped just outside the door and turned to Mark. "I'm sorry about the mystery Mark, but believe me when I tell you it was necessary. Before you enter this room tonight I want to ask you to keep an open mind about the story Evie and I are going to tell you for a I assure you it is true."

Mark looked at the expression on Rick's face seeing nothing but seriousness. So Rick wasn't joking for his expression was sober his eyes serious.

Mark nodded stiffly and Rick turned and opened the door to the living room. As soon as Mark entered the room Evie and a strange man stood up. The strange man had long black hair and strange tattoos on both cheeks as well as his forehead. His skin was dark which meant he definitely meant he wasn't English as if the tattoos didn't already prove that beyond a shadow of a doubt. As for his clothes he was wearing a long black robe kept closed with a sash with a long carved scimitar belted at his right side. He had the look of a warrior about him just in the way he moved which was with fluid grace.

"Mark, let me introduce you to a very good friend of ours, Ardeth Bay. Ardeth, this is our lawyer Mark Simmons."

"It's a pleasure, sir," said Ardeth politely stepping forward to shake Mark's hand.

Mark took it while his mind deciphered the accent. The O'Connell's friend was more than likely Egyptian, maybe an Arab.

"Why don't you take a seat, Mark, and let me explain why I wanted to have this meeting at our home instead at your office."

Mark took the cup of coffee Evie handed him gratefully and took a sip. "Before we begin I want your word of honor that what we are about to reveal to you will never be spoken about outside this house, not if you are drunk or even threatened."

"My god, Rick, what could be so important that you even have to ask?"

Mark noticed that Rick and Ardeth exchanged a glance and the man he thought was an Arab nodded slightly as if giving his friend permission to continue.

Rick sighed then continued, "Mark, I would not have asked this of you if was not very important that you agree to our terms. It's as much for your protection as it is for ours. What I am about to reveal to you is a secret that must be kept at all costs—no matter what."

"All right. If it's that important then I will promise to never reveal what you tell me."

"And just so you know this goes way beyond confidentiality any promise you make could literally mean life and death. Not only for my family but for yourself and lots of other people."

"Rick," Evie protested. "Stop before you frighten the poor man to death. I think Mark understands the consequences if he does talk, don't you, Mark?"

Mark nodded too frightened to speak for he was trying to imagine what could possibly be so important that it required such a warning.

Rick relented and took his place directly beside his wife on the couch which put him directly across from Mark's chair.

"Remember what I said out in the hallway about keeping an open mind," Rick reminded his friend then said, "What I am about to tell you is absolutely true." Rick sighed and then began talking telling of a three thousand year old mummy being brought back to life and about his and Evie's role in helping to stop it. He then went on to explain what had happened just over a year ago and about how Imhotep had been brought back a second time and how Alex had been kidnapped so he could lead them to the Oasis of Ahm Shere. He then explained about the Scorpion King and how he had discovered that gold scepter Jonathan had been carrying around with him actually opened up into a spear and that it was the only thing that could be used to kill the Scorpion King.

He finished by telling how he, Evie, Alex, and Jonathan had barely escaped with their lives as the oasis sank once again beneath the sands not to be raised for at least another five hundred years when it was again the year of the Scorpion and the stars were in exact alignment again.

When Rick fell silent at least it was some three or four hours later and they had all gone through several drinks and plates of sandwiches before Rick was finally silent.

"You can't be serious," Mark protested as soon as he found his voice which was several long minutes of sputtering later.

"Believe me, Mark, my husband has told you nothing but the truth—every single word," Evie said quietly. "It all really happened. I know it is hard to believe Mark," Evie continued. "Heck I wouldn't have believed it if it hadn't happened to me but it did."

"But the Medjai are nothing but myth—legend, nothing more."

Rick swallowed a chuckle and then coughed instead as Evie glared at him in warning

"Mark, the Medjai are real and one of them sits right across from you."

"For obvious reasons, they go to a great deal of trouble to keep their presence hidden. You have to understand that if people knew they existed they and their way of life would be wiped out," added Evie gently

"And the world would suffer for it," Rick added. "Since there would be no one to guard those places that need guarding."

"I would believe what the O'Connells tell you," said Ardeth speaking for the first time since Rick had finished speaking. "They have told you nothing that is not the absolute truth. All of us lived through these events."

"But I never heard about it or even read about it in the paper," Mark protested.

"We did our best to encourage an information blackout about what happened," said Ardeth. "Of course some rumors still got circulated but with no proof to back them up they remained nothing more than rumors."

"I see," said Mark thoughtfully rubbing his chin in what appeared to be an unthinking gesture. "What you have told me is almost impossible to believe—"

"Mark—" Rick began.

"Let me finish please," Mark interrupted which was something he almost never did, but in this case he felt it was necessary.

Rick fell silent and nodded.

"As I was saying this is almost impossible to believe, but for the fact that you and I, Rick have known each other for a number of years and I have never known him to lie to me about anything really important."

"That's right," said Rick. "I would never lie about something as serious as this."

"So let's just assume for the moment that your story is true and go on from there," Mark suggested, "I mean you didn't just call me here to tell me all this without a reason."

"You're right," said Evie, "We do have a reason for telling you all this. You see we figure with the life we lead that something could happen to us. Of course it could be something perfectly ordinary, an automobile accident, a boat sinking or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But we've been discussing what would happen to our son if he was still a child when and if this event occurred. I know you're thinking that Jonathan would take him and this might have been the case if we had never met Ardeth. Now I'll be the first to admit that my brother has changed a great deal ever since Ahm Shere but we feel if he was given Alex to be raised in the event of our deaths that he might start to slide back into his old ways and probably take Alex with him."

"So it was decided that if Ardeth agreed he would raise our son should anything happen to us," Rick added. When Mark looked shocked, Rick chuckled and added. "Don't look so shocked Mark, you know we never would have suggested such a thing if we did not trust Ardeth. Ardeth is the brother I never had and I would not only trust him with my life and Evie's but the life of my son."

"It's not that," said Mark. "It's how causally you talk about your own deaths."

"Mark you must understand that the two times we defeated Imhotep it was only by luck and the skin of our teeth that we survived. Once you've been through such things death doesn't seem quite so frightening. I for one would much rather die than lose my immortal soul. We just want to make sure our son is taken care of. Surely you can understand that?"

"Put like that yes, I can understand it," Mark said. "So I assume you want me to draw up the papers that makes Mr. Bay, Alex's legal guardian if anything happens to you?"

"Yes that's part of it certainly," said Evie

"And the rest of it?"

"Rick wants to adopt me as his brother—legally," Ardeth put in speaking for the first time in more than half an hour. Ardeth's voice sounded just slightly awed that someone would want to make him their brother even though they were already brothers both because of the ceremony that had taken place just a couple of months ago and because in a past life they had not only been brothers but twins.

"Is that possible?" asked Rick.

Mark remained silent seeming deep in thought. Finally he looked up to see two faces looking at him expectantly. As for Ardeth his expression remained the same but his eyes held a deep sense of awe and Mark had a feeling that that was an unusual emotion for him.

"I think it is," said Mark finally. "I will have to do some research but I seem to remember a law somewhere—" Mark paused. "You have to understand this situation doesn't come up very often and for me in particular—never."

"We understand," said Ardeth.

"How long will it take you to do the research and then draw up the papers?

"At least a week," said Mark. "Maybe longer, depending."

"Well Ardeth is going to be here for the next couple of weeks visiting us, so you have time," said Rick putting a hand on Ardeth's shoulder in a gesture of affection.

Ardeth's expression remained unchanged, Mark noticed although the man seemed to relax minutely. The relaxation was so subtle that unless you were watching for it you never would have noticed.

"I know that we will more than likely need a notary and probably at least two witnesses, but anymore then that I do not know. As for your other request that is fairly easy."

"Very well then we will wish you goodnight," said Evie. "So that you can get started on it first thing tomorrow."

"I know that we've given you a lot to think about," said Mark.

"Just remember my warning," said Rick. "By your silence you are protecting not only yourself, but my family and the Medjai as well."

"As well as a lot of innocent people," Evie added.

"I think I'm beginning to understand that," said Mark.

"We know it is a lot for you to absorb," said Evie sympathetically. "It's a lot for anyone to take in but maybe once you sleep on it won't seem so hard."

"Perhaps," Mark conceded looking tired and no wonder for he had been through quite a few shocks in just a few hours.

Mark headed for the door and Evie handed him his coat.

"Thanks it has been…an interesting evening," said Mark.

"I just bet," Evie said with a tired grin as she opened the door for him. Once Mark had disappeared into the fog she closed the door with a soft click.

"Your friend Mark is an interesting man," said Ardeth. "From the impressions I got, he is honest, hardworking and knows how to keep his mouth shut if he must. Also it's true he was shocked by your explanation at first but he accepted it better than I thought he would. I mean if I was him I would have had a harder time accepting that a 5000 year old mummy had come back to life and rained destruction down on most of Egypt—not once but twice."

"That's true, Ardeth," said Rick. "But what you don't know is that one of the main reasons I chose Mark as my lawyer was that I knew if presented with enough evidence he would believe even if it went against everything he was raised to believe in. Mark has always been like that, ever since I've known him."

"How did you two happen to meet?" asked Ardeth curiously.

"Oh now there's an interesting story in itself," said Rick with a grin as he remembered. "It was almost fifteen years ago, long before I met Evie and Jonathan or helped defeat a 5000 year old mummy—twice. I was 20 and just 2 years out of the Cairo orphanage. At that point in my life I was still trying to find my way and deciding what to do with the rest of my life.

"One day I was down on my luck and very close to starving when I made the decision to pick this guy's pocket. Best and worst mistake I ever made for to my shock this older gentlemen who didn't look like he could harm a fly grabbed me by the ear so hard it was sore for a week. He then proceeded to give me a lecture stern enough to live my ears ringing for quite some time. Then instead of turning me over to the police like I expected, he fed me and gave me some money but he also made me promise to try to turn my life around and told me that if I was ever in England I was welcome to look him up.

"It wasn't long after that that I decided to sign up for the French Foreign Legion. I figured it was a good move while I decided what to do with the rest of my life. If I had realized that one conversation would set the course for the rest of my life I probably would have run in the opposite direction." This last was said so wryly that both Ardeth and Evie chuckled.

"I for one am glad that Mark Simmons straightened you out for if you had never joined the French Foreign Legion then we probably never would have met," Ardeth pointed out calmly but with an inner shudder as he thought about that possibility.

"I never would have met you either," Evie added.

"Well you have to admit that your lives would have been more peaceful if we hadn't," Rick pointed out, reasonably. "Imhotep would probably never have been raised that first time."

"My friend, if there is one thing I've learned over the years is that there is no way to avoid fate."

When Rick looked as if he didn't understand Ardeth said, "What I mean my friend is that somebody else would have released Imhotep but this time without you there to help stop him it is likely that he would have succeeded in taking over the world."

"Ardeth's right, Rick," said Evie. "Fate has a way of balancing these things. Just think about it for a moment. That other team had someone just as capable of deciphering hieroglyphs as I am, but also those men all died to help the Creature regenerate. So tell me this: If everyone was dead and we weren't there who would have interrupted Imhotep's plans?"

Rick thought back to that day over ten years ago and finally had to concede that both Ardeth and his wife were right. Besides if he had never met Ardeth or Evie would he have become the man he was today? Probably, for both of them had had a rather profound effect on him over the years. Years ago all he had cared about was himself, but once Evie and then Ardeth had entered his life he had found himself changing a great deal for the better. Well with those two influencing him he supposed he'd really had no choice in the matter.

"All right you're right," Rick conceded finally. "And I for one know I am a better person than I was before I met either of you. It's true Mark set my feet on the correct path but it's you two, Alex and even Jonathan that keeps me on it."

"It is my honor, my brother," Ardeth told him gravely.

"And mine," Evie added with a smile giving her husband a kiss on the cheek.

A week later, Mark called the O'Connell mansion and told them that he had everything arranged and that they would need two witnesses and a notary. Mark also warned Rick that since it was him that they were doing it for he couldn't be a witness. That's okay Rick had assured his friend. We'll just get Jonathan to do it. He won't mind. Rick was right Jonathan didn't mind and in fact was honored that he had been asked. Of course what Rick or Evie didn't tell him was that he was really the only choice for they were trying to keep it within the family. The fewer people that knew about this the better they figured for most people would not understand the friendship or brotherhood they shared and also there was quite a few unscrupulous characters out there that were Rick's and Evie's enemies and if they knew what Ardeth meant to them they might try kidnapping him in order to get what they wanted or worse killing him just to get back at one or the other of them.

In just an hour it was done. Evie and Jonathan signed as witnesses and then the notary used his stamp in the correct place and that was it.

"Well now, you two are officially related," said Mark with a genuine smile. He had come to like Ardeth Bay a great deal in the little time he had known him. Mark's impression was that the Medjai was an honorable and trustworthy man, loyal to his friends and deadly to his enemies and to anyone who hurt his friends and family. Mark respected and admired that sense of friendship and loyalty for it was a very rare thing in today's world where life was considered cheap.

"Well, I say this calls for a celebration," said Jonathan. "Welcome to the family, old chap."

"Thank you," said Ardeth gravely. "It is a great honor."

Jonathan stared at Ardeth for a moment sure he was joking but Ardeth's expression was perfectly serious and grave.

"Jonathan," said Rick. "Remember what I warned you about. You are not to talk about this for you know that all three of us have enemies who would love to learn of this and take advantage."

Jonathan nodded, determined to do right by his family for once in his life.

Rick seeing Jonathan's expression and perhaps guess his thoughts clapped him on the back in a friendly manner and then all four left the office together.

Mark watched them go and observed how Ardeth walked a little behind his new family as if guarding them from harm. Mark smiled to himself as he observed the scene remembering a conversation he had had with Rick and Ardeth just a few days ago.

"What do you mean reincarnation?" Mark had exclaimed.

He had just come back from the kitchen from getting him a cup of tea when he overheard the last part of Rick's and Ardeth's conversation.

Rick and Ardeth both looked up at Mark's words their twin expressions unreadable.

Mark was struck at that moment with the realization of how alike these men were.

Courageous to a fault, brave often to the point of stupidity, more loyal to their friends and family then an entire pack of St. Bernards and so loyal to each other that Mark somehow knew they would willingly die if it meant the other would live.

Such loyalty and honor was a very rare thing when you were talking about two people with the same color skin. It was rarer still when you were talking about a white and someone who was obviously from a foreign country. But reincarnation that was too much for Mark to take in.

"I repeat what do you mean reincarnation? Reincarnation doesn't exist."

"Oh just like the Medjai don't exist?" Rick suggested the humor in his voice obvious. "But seriously there's a few things we didn't tell you when we were telling you the story the other day."

"Like that reincarnation exists?" Mark suggested half expecting for the two men to deny it.

"Yes," said Ardeth, calmly. "Like reincarnation exists."

"We discovered last year that Evie is the reincarnation of the Egyptian princess Nefertiri and just 3 months ago that Ardeth and I are the reincarnations of twin brothers who were Medjai at the same time Princess Nefertiri lived."

Rick stated all this quite calmly and Mark looked at him as if his old friend had grown multiple heads.

"Rick—" Mark began.

Both men looked at him steadily and Mark got the impression that they were communicating silently. How Mark hadn't a clue, maybe it was a twin thing. When the two men's attention finally fell on Mark again it was Rick who got up from where he was sitting on the couch. He put his hand on Mark's shoulder gently. "Mark why don't you sit down and let me and Ardeth explain."

Mark nodded shortly.

"Look," said Rick "We left the part about reincarnation because all three of us felt like you would have enough to absorb when we told you about a 5000 year old mummy coming back to life."

"You've got that right. In the last couple of days you've turned my world upside down."

"Sometimes that's a good thing," Ardeth observed quietly. "It does not do for you to let life become stagnate."

Mark gazed into the Medjai's eyes and what he saw there was a calm understanding of the conflict he was going through. Mark finally forced his eyes away but not before he found the strength in that dark gaze to believe in things that went against everything he'd been raised to believe in.

"I wish I knew how you did that," Rick told his friend.

Ardeth gave the Medjai version of a shrug but did not otherwise respond.

"So Mark are you ready to hear the rest of it?" Rick asked gently.

"Go ahead," said Mark taking a sip of his tea which was now cool enough to drink

Rick studied his longtime friend for a moment then nodded satisfied at what he found in Mark's face. Rick sat back down and then began to explain how Evie had begun having dreams that were so real and how she had eventually figured out that they weren't dreams but memories of her previous life. He then explained his two conversations with Ardeth and how his friend had realized that he was also a protector of man—a Medjai all because of the tattoo on his wrist that he'd gotten on a whim when he'd been in the orphanage at Cairo. And lastly he told of how he and Ardeth were the reincarnations of twin brothers who had been Medjai protecting Seti I and how they had figured out this was so.

Mark listened and nearly gave a gasp of horror when Rick explained how Evie had nearly fallen off the dirigible platform while they were in the sky for she had been in the midst of one of Nefertiri's memories. Mark suddenly realized that if not for Rick and his super fast reflexes then Evie would be dead.

Rick paused then explained how Evie had been killed by the reincarnation of Anck-su-namun and how Alex and Jonathan had used the book of the dead to bring her back minutes after it had happened.

That last explanation was the hardest for Mark to accept. Once you were dead you stayed that way, right? Wrong. As much as Mark wanted to doubt his friend he couldn't for the grief and anger in Rick's voice was so thick that as much as he wanted to Mark could not deny that it had actually happened. After all you couldn't fake those kinds of emotions.

"I know this is hard for you to accept but you must realize that there are things in this world that are not always explainable," said Ardeth quietly. "I was raised to believe in the unexplainable and I realize that you were not, but eventually you have to decide what it is you believe in and whether or not you trust the person that is telling you these things."

Mark nodded looking thoughtful for a long minute."You're right," said Mark. "All my life I have practiced law and I have seen the worst mankind can do not only to each other but the world, but until now I have never believed in such things as reincarnation 5000 year old mummies coming back to life or magic." Mark paused as if gathering his thoughts. "But over the last few days I have come to believe in things that I never thought were possible until now."

"Well you're certainly accepting it easier than I did," said Rick with a laugh. "Ardeth and Evie can both tell you that I had a tough time accepting the fact that I was a Medjai or the fact that my wife was the reincarnation of an Egyptian Princess. It took me quite a few years to accept that I was supposedly a warrior for God—a Medjai. I mean I'm a simple man—or at least I used to be. I used to believe in things that could be seen or tasted or touched not in things like 5000 year old mummies raising from the dead or in reincarnation or any of the other stuff we've run into over the years, but I either had to start to believe in these things or all of us would be dead." Rick paused as if deep in thought.

"I have found over the years that the unexplainable can just as easily kill you as things that can be explained logically and it was either accept the unexplainable or let myself and maybe Evie to, die."

Mark thought about that for a moment then nodded deciding Rick's explanation made sense.

"I think we have given Mr. Simmons enough to think about, O'Connell," said Ardeth. "There is only so much a man can accept in one night."

Rick looked at Ardeth for a moment then nodded. "Ardeth's right we have given you much to think about. So why don't you go home and get some sleep? We'll see you again in a few days."

"Yes, that would probably be best," Mark admitted. "I just hope all this doesn't keep me awake."

Rick showed his old friend to the door and watched as he disappeared into the foggy night.

Mark looked at his pocketwatch and was startled at how long he had been standing at the window remembering. If he had known what Rick O'Connell was going to turn his life upside down would he have still gone out of his way to help him all those years ago? Yes Mark decided he would have and that was all that mattered.

Ardeth's visit came to an end all too soon and the O'Connells were there at the docks to see him off. "I will miss you," said Rick. "Are you sure you have to go? I mean you just got here."

"Yes, Rick," said Ardeth putting a hand on his brother's shoulder. "You know this. I have been away to long as it is."

Rick sighed and nodded. "Yes, I know, but I don't have to like it."

"No, you do not have to like it but you do have to accept it."

"I will miss you too, Ardeth," said Evie. "And Alex was so disappointed that he couldn't be there. He finishes for the year in just a couple of weeks."

"And you will be seeing us soon after," Rick promised.

"I will miss you guys as well," Ardeth assured. "And I am sorry I didn't get a chance to see Alex."

"Yeah, he was real disappointed when he heard you were here and that he wouldn't get a chance to see you. We had to insist he stay in school. I think the only thing that got him to cooperate was the fact of our planned trip to Egypt and to see you as soon as school lets out for the summer."

"I am looking forward to seeing him as well," said Ardeth with a smile thinking of the O'Connells ten year old son. Alex was intelligent, thoughtful, caring and wise beyond his years. He spoke as well as read both Arabic and Egyptian as well as his native English with equal fluency. In that way he was just like his mother who spoke and read several languages including the Egyptian and Arabic. As for the rest of it he had both his father's and his mother's adventurous streaks and also their knack for finding trouble. Alex was also open to different ways including those of the Medjai and he loved Egypt as much as any native born there. Of course Egypt was in his blood since his mother was the reincarnation of an Egyptian princess. Someday Ardeth hoped he would have a son with the same qualities as young Alex O'Connell.

The ship whistle blew and Ardeth knew he had to go or miss his boat.

"I will see you soon," Ardeth promised the people that were his family.

Evie hugged him again and Ardeth held her tightly for a moment. It was then Rick's turn and instead of a handshake he hugged his brother and they held each other for a long moment. Finally they released each other and Rick said his voice thick with emotion and all the things he didn't have time to say, "You be careful."

"I will," Ardeth promised seeming to understand what Rick couldn't say.

Finally Ardeth turned away and headed up the gangplank just as the last whistle blew.

As the ship got underway Ardeth waved from the deck and sent his brother a silent a silent message along the link they shared. _Remember, brother we are no longer separate but a single entity. We are two halves that make a whole. I will always be with you no matter the distance between us._

Ardeth felt Rick's acknowledgement and the wave of love that he sent down the link. The feeling of love surprised Ardeth for a moment then once he had recovered significantly from his shock he sent the same feeling back.

_I shocked you huh?_ whispered Rick's in his head. _I know that sometimes I have trouble with emotion but I think I have always loved you like a brother. It has just taken me this long to acknowledge it. Be safe and we'll see you in a month._ Ardeth sent a wordless reply and then the connection broke as the ship left the London harbor.

It was nice to have people who cared, Ardeth thought as the harbor disappeared from sight.

He was on his way home. Home what a wonderful word, Ardeth thought. As much as he loved seeing the O'Connells and visiting London, Egypt would always truly be his home.


End file.
